Supporting leg for vehicle transporting exchangeable containers

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a supporting leg for a vehicle that transports exchangeable containers, said leg allowing the exchangeable container to be deposited on a horizontal base. Said leg comprises two telescopic tubes and a pneumatic drive for retracting and extending one of the tubes. Thread-type or annular bearing parts ( 520 ) comprising a horizontal bearing surface are configured on the inner extendable tube ( 52 ). An engagement part ( 60 ) with horizontal bearing surfaces, which interacts with the bearing parts ( 520 ), is located on the outer tube ( 51 ). Said engagement part is pre-stressed in its displacement from the disengaged position (FIG.  5 ) into its engaged position (FIG.  4 ) in a spring-loaded manner and is fixed to the outer tube ( 51 ) with a non-positive fit.

The invention refers to a supporting leg for vehicles transportingexchangeable containers to deposit the exchangeable container onto ahorizontal base.

Exchangeable containers are usually transported by lorries or theirtrailers. The procedure in this respect is that the lorry takes up theexchangeable container together with the load and transports it to thedesired location. There the exchangeable container is deposited and thevehicle can take on further loads. For the period, in which depositionoccurs, it is required that the exchangeable container transfers theload resulting from the container and the respective goods throughsupporting legs onto the base. Usually the exchangeable containerscomprise four supporting legs, wherein constructions with supportinglegs pivotal around horizontal axes are known. (DE 196 07 945 A1).

The present invention has the object, to independently carry out thispivoting action or extension process of the supporting leg of theexchangeable container, i. e. design it such that the driver of thevehicle does not have to leave his driver's cabin for the depositionprocess.

This is achieved in that exchangeable containers are provided withsupporting legs according to the claim.

The invention is explained below with reference to the figures by way ofexample.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of an extended supporting leg bearing on abase.

FIG. 2 shows details in the top area of the supporting leg in the firstfunction.

FIG. 3 shows this top area of the supporting leg during the secondfunction.

FIG. 4 shows the bottom area of the supporting leg in the firstfunction.

FIG. 5 shows the bottom area of the supporting leg in the secondfunction.

In FIG. 1, a supporting leg is schematically illustrated such as itrests on a base. The supporting leg can be retracted and extendedthrough an operating medium cylinder 31. The area 32 shows theconnection of the piston rod of the cylinder 31 with the extendible tube52 of the supporting leg. The area 33 shows the frictional connection ofthe outer tube 51 with an engaging part 60. In FIG. 1 these parts areschematically illustrated, they will be explained in detail by means ofthe description of the FIGS. 2 to 4.

The supporting leg 30 is pivotal around a horizontal axis, and thatthrough a further operating medium cylinder 20, which generates apivoting movement through a track extending over the circumference of atube by retraction and extension of the piston rod. The retraction andextension direction of this operating medium cylinder is shown with thedouble arrows 21, while the pivoting movement resulting therefrom issymbolised by 22.

The pivoting leg 30 or its drive 20 is attached on a chassis 10 of avehicle, not shown. A wheel support 11 for a wheel 12 is also shown atthe chassis. In the shown position the exchangeable container or thechassis and all further indicated parts, respectively, rest through thesupporting leg 30 on the floor 40 such that the wheel 12 is distancedfrom the floor.

The FIGS. 2 to 4 are taken in correspondence with the section line A-A.

FIG. 2 shows the outer telescoping tube 51 and the piston rod 50provided therein. A transversely extending pin 55 is arranged at the endof the piston rod, which is housed in a longitudinal hole. The pin canassume two extreme positions in this longitudinal hole, the bottomposition is shown in FIG. 2, the top position in FIG. 3.

The pin itself is arranged in a transversely extending recess of a block53, which is extended downward through a rod-shaped part 54.

It appears from FIG. 2 that the piston rod 50 is not directly connectedto the inner extendible tube 52, but through the block 53 or the rod 54,respectively. In FIG. 2 a recess in form of a ball can be seen in theouter area of the tube 52, in which a semicircular projection 540 isarranged, which is formed on the rod 54. The functioning of these partswill be explained with reference to the further figures.

FIG. 1 shows the first function of the parts and makes clear thatthrough an upward movement of the piston rod 50 the inner tube 52 ismoved upwards as well.

FIG. 3 shows the function, in which the parts 520 and 540 are notengaged and where the block 53 has assumed a position, which is arrangedfurther towards the right with respect to the position in FIG. 2.

The FIGS. 4 and 5 show the bottom parts of the supporting leg and thefollowing shall be stated in this regard.

The extendible tube 52 is formed with a plurality of annular bearingparts 520. These comprise a horizontal surface facing upwards andextending obliquely starting from there. In the line of vision of FIG. 4a saw tooth-shaped formation can be recognised.

A corresponding saw tooth-shaped formation can be seen at the engagementpart 60, but the projections are facing in the opposite direction andare designated by 61. It can be seen in FIG. 4 that the projections 61interact with the bearing parts 520 such that a force transmission fromthe tube 52 through the engagement part 60 to the outer tube 51 ispossible, i. e. that in this position the exchangeable container can beset down on the foundation and the load is correspondingly passed on.

FIG. 5 shows the position, in which the parts 540 have got out of arecess 520 on the inner tube 52. The rod 54 is pushed towards the rightthereby and thus also the engagement part 60. In this position arelative movement between the telescopic tubes 51 and 52 can occur.

The engagement part 60 is situated in a kind of window of the outer tube51 and can carry out the desired inward and outward movements. Not shownis a spring bias, which makes sure that the engagement part 60 will moveinto the engagement position.

1. Supporting leg for a vehicle transporting exchangeable containers forthe deposition of the exchangeable container onto a horizontal base,comprising two telescoping tubes and a pneumatic drive for retractingand extending of the tube, wherein thread-type or annular bearing parts(520) comprising a horizontal bearing surface are configured on theinner extendible tube (52), and an engagement part (60) with horizontalbearing surfaces, which interacts with the bearing parts (520), islocated-on the outer tube (51), and is elastically biased from thedisengaged position (FIG. 5) to its engagement position (FIG. 4) and isfixed in frictional manner on the outer tube (51), characterised in thatthat the inner extendible tube (52) is connected through a block (53)and a rod (54) with the piston rod (50) of the pneumatic drive (31);that in the outer area of the tube (52) a semicircular recess (520) isprovided for reception of a semicircular projection (540) on the rod(54) and that the rod (54) and the engagement part (60) are shifted outof their engagement positions, allowing a relative movement between thetubes (51, 52), when the projection (540) gets out of the recess (520)in the inward and outward movement, respectively, of the piston rod(50).